PHASE 88 - NOW WE HAVE AN OVER BLOATED CAST

After having that dream, I made the best course of action, which is to tell my friends everything about my incoming . I’ve learned my lessons, and I can’t have myself being ganged up by my own allies once again.

Since it involves a thousand dead persons, we suspected that it will be the end result of the incoming Christmas Raid. Amy and I reported my visions via video chat to the Legion Master Amanda Cryst. We had several arguments just to convince her to suspend the raid.

But instead, I’m the one that they convinced. They raised the point that my is not a future event, but just a mere warning. Most of the presages have been prevented by making some countermeasures.

Besides, my Guardian Ability has a 50% error margin based on the persons who lived and died.

Persons who actually died: 4 (Chrisprel, Ranley, Daughty, and Helena)

Persons who are supposed to die but lived: 4 (Tiara, Heushac, Mister Kent, and Jeannette)

So the conclusion: the Christmas Raid will go on. They will just conduct the operation a lot more careful, and our group will actively participate as a support unit.

To do our job better and to give us a lot more impact in the fight, Amy requested for new members that would add some firepower to the team.

<>

We are here in the Kozukata Shrine Conference room. Our team is getting bloated, so Heushac’s house wouldn’t be good as our base of operations.

So there are four new members of the Aether Crusade...

First is this pink-haired girl who is wearing a maid dress, giving us a stiff salute and straight face. She’s about 5’3 in height, just slightly taller than Amy. She has this so-so face but I think she’s already considered cute by most guys.

“I”m Emily Terronette! Nice to meet all of you! You can call me Eli! It’s an honor to work with the Aether Crusade!”

Suddenly, the new lady turned to me. Her eyes became a full heart and giving me a creepy blush! She jumped to me and held my hand. She even had her face sparkling.

“I-I-I think this is fate! That’s right! I’m a victim of love at first sight!”

“I’m sorry, I’m legally blind.”

“Ah~” Emily cried, but I think it’s more of a moan. “You already captured my heart~”

“A masochist.” I cringed. “Why do garbage girls keeps flocking on me-Pwahak!”

A right straight went to my nose! Guess who did that!?

The second one is this antisocial who’s wearing a square-framed glasses and an anime-emo hair. He’s just a few centimeters taller than Amy.

“My name is Benedict Hamerov, and I… thank you…” He shyly turned to his back. His voice is unbelievably deep for a shy person!

The third member is a familiar face. He looks like a rocker with spiky orange hair and various piercing on his ears. Just your typical thug who gets beaten up in movies. Oh, he’s the culprit in the hot spring chapters.

“...Ey yo! I’m Drex Brynheim. You already know me because you guys saved me from my curse! So I wanted to pay my debts to this group! Glad to meet you all, homies!”

“Wow, you look a lot more polite than you look,” Amy commented. “That exorcism really removed all the evil things in you.”

Drex just turned away to hide his face. Maybe he has a thing for Amy too…

I’m quite pissed…

And the last… I really don’t approve of it, mainly because I quite know the new member’s personality. She’s one of my teachers in the Kozukata Shrine after all.

“Hello~ I’m Ayano Mochizuki, from the Kozukata Shrine Maidens! Please take care of me from now on~” Then she bent over, exposing her giant cleavage and made a flying kiss to the boys.

Kristoff, Benedict, and Drex had their nose bleeding like a broken faucet. And then they fell to the ground as they passed out. Only Heushac and I are able to resist that womanly charms of her. Maybe because we know that she’s a monster inside.

Amy made a single clap as she went in front of us old members. “I suppose we original members should introduce ourselves.”

The blonde loli cleared her voice as she made a loud proclamation with that fake gentle personality of hers. “My name is Jeanette Amiella Fontaine von Noctis, the head of the Aether Crusade. I am pleased to meet all of you.”

Then Amy elbowed my stomach gently, telling me that I should do my monologue too.

“I’m Alaric Eisenhower, the field commander of this group. Don’t talk to me, don’t come near my personal space, and I hate people. Especially annoying women.”

“Kyaaaaah!” That new girl blushed as soon as she was subjected to my cold glare. Also, Ayano joined that fangirl shout.

“M-M-My name is T-Tiara Hikari… P-P-Please, take care of me from now on!” Tiara bowed nervously. She’s still not used to meeting new people.

Because of her shy introduction, Kristoff, Benedict, and Drex had that nosebleed again.

“Uh…” Heushac scratched his head. “I’m Heushac Efilion… and I like playing video games all week long… That’s all.”

The new guys covered their noses as Heushac spoke. Darn that idiot, he forgot to brush again.

“I am Key. Call me Key.” Key said in a monotonous voice. That’s it. The end.

It’s now Kristoff’s turn. He unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his dark abs and then tucked a red rose on his mouth. And now there are glitters raining everywhere. “You haven’t heard of the infamous Kristoff Anderson, the incarnate of Orion? My arrows can pierce the loneliest hearts of women.”

“Gross…” Amy cringed.

“Gross…” Emily, Ayano, and Key followed up and said the same thing.

“I-I think that’s extremely disgusting, but y-you have the guts in you, Mister Kristoff!” Tiara pumped her fist to cheer Kristoff up. “But they are right! That’s super-duper gross!”

Then Kristoff went to the corner of the room and crouched as his heart was slowly being corrupted by his own emotional despair. He was ignored for the rest of the day.

<>

Amy started the orientation and the briefing for our next operation. I already know the plan on the incoming raid, so hearing the same topic that I have already read will make me sleepy.

I went outside the conference room and inhaled the sweet breeze of cold air of the night.

In this mountaintop of the Kozukata Shrine, I can see city lights that sparkle like stars. This is my favorite place and view of the shrine. This is the venue where I can truly be the one with nature, away from hassle and stress.

I still have to figure out what my means. The blank grave and the sword that was named . What does the Frozen Soul want me to do?

Suddenly, there was a gentle pinch on my shoulder.

“Rikkun…” Tiara’s innocent smile fazed me. “Here are the records of the new members. Necchan said that you will have to formulate a battle plan with them.”

“What a drag.” I said in an exhausted manner as I took the folder from her hand. “That runt is really pushing me to my limits.”

“Ahahaha… That just proves that she really trust your skills.”

Suddenly, the beaut sat beside and accompanied me to enjoy this magnificent view. There was an absolute but comfortable silence between us. To wave it off, Tiara began spouting nonsense like it’s just your regular Tuesday.

“Hey Rikkun… If a lion attacks me and Necchan… Who will you save first?”

“Of course, it’s the lion.” I laughed. “You guys are Gate Guardians. The poor lion has no way to overpower you guys.”

Tiara just had this forced smile at me, silently saying that it’s not what she meant.

…

There was a sixty-second silence.

But then… She started to talk in an ambiguous way.

“...Rikkun… Please promise me…” Tiara made a smile with tears on her eyes. “...Promise me that you will never fall in love with me.”

“Wha-What’s that all of a sudden!?” I shrieked.

“You had your , remember? The woman you saw in that beautiful garden resembles a lot like Lord Freya. And that cross with no name… It is certainly mine.”

“H-Hey, don’t speak like that.” I had my voice trembling. Seriously, I’m being scared right now. “That will not happen. I will save whoever’s name appears on that blank cross.”

“I…” Tiara held her aching chest. “I appreciate your heroic deeds, Rikkun. But I think that’s the sign for me to go. I have lived in different lives… through seven million timelines… And I… I think that’s a lot more than enough… So if there will be a time where you have to choose… or to sacrifice someone… I will gladly offer my life for you two to live happily ever after. I can see the red strings of fate between you and Necchan after all.”

“...Tiara…”

“...Promise me that you’ll never fall for me.” She repeated.

Then Tiara ran away, without me being able to see her face.